Factorization in finitely-presented monoids (Q7228767)

Let \(\mathcal{L}\) be a collection of subsets of \(\mathbb{N}\) and \(\rho(L):=\sup(L\cap \mathbb{N}^+)/\min(L\cap \mathbb{N}^+) \in \mathbb{Q}^+\cup\{\infty\}\) for \(L\in \mathcal{L}\) (\(\rho(L):= 0\) if \(L\cap \mathbb{N}^+=\emptyset)\). \(\mathcal{L}\) is said to have \textit{accepted elasticity} if either \(\mathcal{L}=\emptyset\) or \(\rho(\mathcal{L})=\rho(L)<\infty\) for some \(L\in \mathcal{L}\) (\(\rho(\mathcal{L}):=\sup\{\rho(L)\vert L\in \mathcal{L}\}\)). \(\mathcal{L}\) is called \textit{fully elastic} if for every \(q\in \mathbb{Q}\) satisfying \(1<q<\rho(\mathcal{L})\), there exists \(L\in\mathcal{L}\) such that \(\rho(L)=q\). Let now \(M:=\langle X\vert R\rangle\), where \(X\) is a set and \(R\subseteq\langle X\rangle\times\langle X\rangle\) (\(\langle X\rangle\) -- the free monoid generated by \(X\)). For each \(a\in \langle X\rangle\), let \(\vert a\vert\) denote the length of \(a\). Let \(\mathsf{L}_M(a):=\{\vert b\vert\ \vert\ b\in \langle X\rangle, b=_M a \) (\(b\) is a factorization of \(a\))\}. \(M\) is said to have \textit{accepted elasticity} (respectively, is \textit{fully elastic}), if \(\mathcal{L}(M):=\{\mathsf{L}_M(a)\vert a\in \langle X\rangle\}\) has that property. \(M\) is called a \(BF\) monoid, if \(\mathsf{L}_M(a)\) is finite for all \(a \in \langle X\rangle\). It is proved that if \(M\) has accepted elasticity and \(\{x \in X \vert\ \exists a, b, c \in \langle X\rangle\) such that \((axb, c) \in R\) or \((c, axb) \in R\}\not= X\), then \(M\) is fully elastic.\N\NThe main theorem states that if \(X\not=\emptyset\) and \(\{\vert a\vert -\vert b\vert\ \vert (a,b)\in R\}\) are finite, \(M\) is normalizing (i.e. \(aM=Ma\) for all \(a\in M\)) and cancellative, then it satisfies the \textit{Structure Theorem for Unions} (elements of certain sets belong to certain arithmetic progressions). If \(M\) is additionally \(BF\), then it satisfies the \textit{Strong Structure Theorem for Unions}. Examples are provided showing that, even for finitely-presented cancellative monoids, these properties need not always hold. For example, a one-relation cancellative bounded-factorization monoid is constructed that does not have accepted elasticity, but satisfies the Structure Theorem for Unions.